From: Larry Elmore <ljelmore_@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: Pronunciation
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 18:56:35 -0500
Date: 2005-06-24T18:56:35-05:00 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <OP-dnTd6Mo4EACHfRVn-sg@comcast.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <42BC1283.AC62B862@hp.com>
cdm wrote:
>>>Thanks. What about "GNAT"? Like the fly?
>>
>>The pronunciations I have heard for GNAT are not like the insect.
>>For the insect, the G is silent, whereas the pronunciations I have
>>heard for GNAT emphasize the G as non-silent (with the rest the same).
>
>
> Yes, they use the "g". Like GNU, pronouncing each letter.
>
> (Why do languages bother throwing in silent letters?)
Usually because pronunciation has changed while the spelling has
remained static. Sometimes it's due to idiot grammarians "restoring"
something along those lines, too, such as with the English "debt".
--Larry
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2005-06-24 23:56 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 12+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2005-06-20 19:54 Pronunciation Florian Weimer
2005-06-20 20:36 ` Pronunciation David Hoos
2005-06-20 20:36 ` Pronunciation Martin Dowie
2005-06-20 20:40 ` Pronunciation Florian Weimer
2005-06-20 21:28 ` Pronunciation Larry Kilgallen
2005-06-21 7:39 ` Pronunciation Preben Randhol
2005-06-24 14:06 ` Pronunciation cdm
2005-06-24 14:57 ` Pronunciation David Hoos
2005-06-24 23:56 ` Larry Elmore [this message]
2005-06-27 16:41 ` Pronunciation Adam Beneschan
2005-06-21 9:28 ` Pronunciation Georg Bauhaus
2005-06-21 7:36 ` Pronunciation Preben Randhol
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